Amnesty International: Arms transfers to Middle East and North Africa illustrates need for an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)

Posted on Lun, 2011-10-24 16:14

The US, Russia and European countries have supplied large quantities of weapons to Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Syria and Yemen since 2005, despite evidence that there was a substantial risk that they could be used to commit serious human rights violations. A new report by Amnesty International includes detailed accounts of transfers and types of weapons to these countries, including small arms and ammunition. Helen Hughes of Amnesty International said, "These findings highlight the stark failure of existing arms export controls, with all their loopholes, and underline the need for an effective global Arms Trade Treaty that takes full account of the need to uphold human rights". The report also includes recommendations on the provisions needed in an effective ATT, including on the scope, parameters, implementation and enforcement of the Treaty.